ACCESSIBILITY, equity, and affordability of higher education are critical to effecting social change in Jamaica, a group of educators suggested. They were responding to a question from Dr Yvonne Dawkins, associate vice-president of academic and student affairs, University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), during a panel discussion on education and social change at the Higher Education Leaders Forum hosted by the university on March 20.

The forum was one of a series of events during UCC Inauguration Week.

Chairing the discussion against the backdrop of reflecting on Jamaica’s progress as it relates to attaining the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, Dr Dawkins asked, “What impact should education make on our society? How will we get there?’

Professor Shermaine Barrett, dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Jamaica, said quality education is a right for all individuals and Jamaica and the Caribbean should prioritise access to quality higher education for all.

“It is not enough to provide space in a classroom, attention must be paid to what is done and how,” she implored.

Farah Christian, senior lecturer, Shortwood Teachers’ College, said that equity should be one of the top strategies we should be working at.

“We must prioritise human resource development, including teaching and other disciplines,” she said.

She lamented that in recent years there has been a reduction in people seeking to be trained as teachers, making for a shortage of trained teachers, especially in areas like special education, and called for efforts to be made to develop in-service and pre-service quality in a more cohesive way.

Dr Marjorie Buckley, associate professor, Northern Caribbean University (NCU), said that affordability is critical in accessing post-secondary school education.

“If we believe that higher education can transform economies, then governments and corporate organisations must think seriously about funding. We must overcome barriers that prevent collaborations, be more student-centered, and adopt a blended approach with flexibility in embracing change or risk becoming irrelevant,” she stated.

From his perspective, Donovan Jones, director, strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation, NCU, said we need greater focus on quality, values-based education, and training.

“We must address the foundation challenges — we cannot put up a superstructure on a poor foundation. The only way to pull ourselves out of the situation we are in is to improve productivity and production. So let’s look at the labour market data and decide strategically where to go,” he said. “There should be more opportunities for people to acquire micro credentials, including via stackable courses that may lead to a degree. In this way we can also address the competency gaps of people already at work and functioning.”

Olivene Thomas, lecturer, Faculty of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work, The University of the West Indies, said that access to higher education should not only be physical but also inspirational and must equip people with the required technological skills.

“We must liberalise education, increase access so that ideas are not downplayed because of who and where they come from. No one should be privileged and no one underprivileged in the education system,” she declared.

All the presenters agreed that education is a valuable vehicle for social change at the individual and community levels and essential for the promotion in general of a better society.

The forum was chaired by Gary McKenzie, acting assistant director, Department of Student Services, UCC.